The Student of Prague

1913 DramaFantasy 85 minutes Directed by Stellan Rye

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About The Student of Prague

In Prague in 1820, the poor student and swordsman Balduin saves Countess Margit from drowning and cannot court her for lack of money. Scapinelli offers 100,000 gold pieces for anything he chooses in Balduin's room, then takes Balduin's reflection from the mirror. Flush with cash, Balduin meets Margit again, but the double appears at their meetings and kills her cousin, Baron Waldis, in a duel Balduin had agreed not to fight. Balduin shoots the double in his rooms. The double vanishes, Balduin falls dead, and Scapinelli tears up the contract. The double sits on the grave with a raven.

Cast & crew

More about The Student of Prague

Stellan Rye directed. Hanns Heinz Ewers wrote it. Paul Wegener, in his first film, plays Balduin and also produced. It opened on August 22, 1913. Robert A. Dietrich designed the sets.

Themes

  • A bargain for a reflection
  • A countess who cannot be courted poor
  • A double who fights the duel
  • A shot that kills the shooter
  • Balduin
  • Scapinelli
  • mirror
  • Prague
  • Countess Margit
  • duel

Look

Guido Seeber shot the Babelsberg sets and the Prague locations.

Music

Josef Weiss wrote a piano score to accompany the film.

Notes

  • John Gottowt plays Scapinelli. Grete Berger plays Countess Margit. Lyda Salmonova plays Lyduschka, who follows Balduin and tips off the baron.
  • The story was filmed again in 1926 and in 1935.
  • It is also known as A Bargain with Satan.

Scenes

  • Scapinelli calls the reflection out of the mirror and leaves with it.
  • The double sits on Balduin's grave, stroking a raven.

Influenced by

  • Edgar Allan Poe's William Wilson
  • Alfred de Musset's The December Night
  • The Faust legend

Also available

  • Wikimedia Commons (The Student of Prague (1913).webm)